Haughley Park Barn, on a 250-acre estate in central Suffolk, is hired for corporate events of 50 to 150 people and for weddings of up to 240 guests in the evening. It is a Grade II listed barn with an original oak beam roof and exposed brickwork, set in the grounds of a Jacobean manor house at Haughley, near Stowmarket. The hire is dry, so you choose your own suppliers from an approved list.
Seminars and company events
The estate recommends the Barn for events of 50 to 150 attendees. It has hosted conferences, lectures, training sessions, AGMs and awards ceremonies. A PA system and an overhead projector are on site for speeches and presentations. The hire is dry, which gives you freedom to bring in the caterer and suppliers that suit your agenda, within two rules: caterers come from the estate's approved list, and a bar, if you want one, must be the estate's tied bar service. Bookings are taken a maximum of six months in advance, subject to availability, so plan shorter lead times than you would for a hotel.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings run over three days of exclusive use. A Saturday wedding gives access from 11 am on Friday to 11 am on Sunday, and a Wednesday wedding from 11 am on Tuesday to 11 am on Thursday. Civil ceremonies take up to 100 guests, the wedding breakfast up to 120, and the evening party up to 240. Daytime drinks can be supplied under a no-corkage policy, and the evening bar is the tied service. The licence allows alcohol and music until 12:30 am. Confetti must be biodegradable, and fireworks need a specialist supplier.
Rooms and capacities
The main space is Haughley Park Barn. For corporate use the estate advises 50 to 150 people. For weddings the figures are 100 for a civil ceremony, 120 seated and 240 for the evening. The barn is also hired for celebrations, with tables and chairs available for meals.
Accommodation
The Victorian Farmhouse on the estate offers five bedrooms, refurbished for wedding parties and guests, and you can add an extra night. Larger groups need further rooms in the surrounding area.
Catering
There is no in-house catering. You select a caterer from the estate's approved list, introduced to keep food and service standards consistent. Drinks follow the policies above: daytime drinks through the caterer under the no-corkage policy, and the tied bar for the evening.
History and setting
Haughley Park is a privately owned estate with a sweeping driveway, landscaped gardens and a Jacobean manor house at its center. The grounds also host public events through the year, among them bluebell openings and craft shows.
Getting there
The estate is in central Suffolk, a few minutes from the A14, which is reached from either direction. It lies close to Cambridge and Stansted airports. Parking is ample on site.
